(CNN) - President Barack Obama will announce Wednesday he's nominating Tom Wheeler, a top fundraiser for the president's re-election campaign, to head the Federal Communications Commission, according to a White House official.

Until he's confirmed, Mignon Clyburn, a member of the commission, will serve as acting chair.Follow @politicalticker

The official described Wheeler as an experienced leader in the communications technology field "who shares the President's commitment to protecting consumers, promoting innovation, enhancing competition and encouraging investment."

Wheeler has been the managing director of Core Capital Partners, a venture capital firm, since 2005. According to his biographical page on the company's website, Wheeler founded multiple companies offering cable, wireless and video communications services.

"Wheeler has spent more than three decades working at the forefront of telecommunications policy and business development," the White House official said. "As a policy expert, he has been intimately involved in the development of the government's telecommunications policy at both the legislative and regulatory level."

In 2009, he led the Obama-Biden transition group in charge of transitions for the science, technology, space and arts agencies. Obama also appointed Wheeler to the president's Intelligence Advisory Board. And he was appointed a trustee of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts during the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush administrations.

If confirmed, Wheeler will succeed Democrat Julius Genachowski, who became chairman in 2009.

Good grief. I can't believe we haven't heard from McCain or Ms. Graham yet....

April 30, 2013 06:46 pm at 6:46 pm |

Nik without a C

Wow! My Dad knows the FCC person. Tom Wheeler knows my Dad. Great.

April 30, 2013 08:25 pm at 8:25 pm |

us_1776

No CISPA.

No SOPA

No any of these things that invade people's privacy.

No any of these things that essentially repeal the 4th Amendment.

.

April 30, 2013 08:43 pm at 8:43 pm |

Jeff Brown in Jersey

OK haters... You never even heard of this guy, so start your negative comments!

April 30, 2013 09:00 pm at 9:00 pm |

Burt Ward

He's left the agency in a mess considering that over-the-air tv will most likely go away. White space devices will take up the spectrum used for news remotes. The freeze on new TV station licenses has bankrupted US based manufacturers and put engineers out of work. The future of TV is in question, city dwellers who can't afford cable or satellite will loose their only source of tv news. Rural residents will be forced to go with satellite and in bad weather, there is a situation called rain fade. That means no information during a bad weather event. Internet in the sticks is questionable and there is rarely 3G out there. Over the air TV was helpful in D.C. during the recent ice storms. Even congressmen were huddled around their tv sets picking up broadcasts when the cable went down and the dishes serving the congressional offices were iced over. Over the air tv was their choice of information. But thanks to greedy Obama and his toy boy Clyburn, we are all doomed.

April 30, 2013 09:00 pm at 9:00 pm |

larrysucks

Another Obama bundler gets a plum job in the administration.. Shockingly typical.

April 30, 2013 11:20 pm at 11:20 pm |

Skip

President Obama is poised to nominate Tom Wheeler, a venture capitalist and “former top lobbyist for the cable and wireless industries” to serve as chairman of the FCC.

Isn't this the same president who while campaigning said he would never allow lobbyists to work in his administration?

May 1, 2013 01:34 am at 1:34 am |

Jerry

Wow! Top Obama fundraiser?! Uhm... Stinks of cronyism, anyone?!

Obama's administration IS definitely for sale to the highest bidder...

May 1, 2013 06:16 am at 6:16 am |

Jonus Grumby

Another person getting a position for reasons other than ability.

May 1, 2013 06:52 am at 6:52 am |

Bob Brown

The story omits the fact that Wheeler was also a lobbyist for the communications industry, the same industry he will be regulating.

Here is what President Obama had to say about lobbyists in government back in November, 2007 when he was running for office: "I am in this race to tell the corporate lobbyists that their days of setting the agenda in Washington are over. I have done more than any other candidate in this race to take on lobbyists — and won. They have not funded my campaign, they will not run my White House, and they will not drown out the voices of the American people when I am president."